08-02-2022 02:26 PM - edited 08-02-2022 02:27 PM
OKAY, just got Ebay's determination, which was affirmed by the concierge. I lose both, the lamp and the money plus a $20.00 "dispute" fee that Ebay tacks on to the losing side involved in a dispute. Let me refresh the memory of those that have forgotten. Over 3 months ago I sold a Streamlight headlamp to a California resident for $168.00 + shipping. Buyer gets the lamp and gives a + feedback and gushes over the lamp. Headlamp was sold in as is condition with no return allowed. 60 days after receipt, I get a notice from ebay that the buyer had disputed the transaction with his bank for "item not as described". Ebay took the monies from my account and "held" it until a determination was made by the buyer's bank. I then wrote and talked to the buyer to state that even though item was sold as is, and buyer was 30 days past ebay's warranty under buyer protection, I was willing to take the item back and pay the freight. He said that it was too much trouble, that I had sold it, he had bought it and as such he was entitled to send it to get repaired at Streamlight (which has a lifetime warranty). I explained that I owned the light, he said that it was too much trouble and he kept it. I objected to the dispute.
Today I got the email from ebay that said I lose both the money, the lamp and a $20.00 dispute fee. I called my concierge about the Seller protection and he said that since it had been done through the sellers bank, that ebay's hands were tied. That he would credit me the $20.00 fee as a courtesy for being a 100% ebay trader for 3600 + feed-backs over a span of over 24 years. I asked for his superior and he said that he was it... Judge-Jury-Executioner. I will be canceling my sales for now, as I cannot afford to risk anymore sales to thieves. Additionally I am seriously considering ending my ebay relationship. Not for what this buyer did, but for what ebay failed to do. Seller Protection by ebay? When? Where? How? The thieving buyer is still dealing on ebay.
08-02-2022 06:56 PM
Wow, this really stinks. Your post is excellent btw.
Is there anyway you can contact that light company since the thieving buyer stated he was going to get it fixed?
08-02-2022 06:57 PM
I heard 'concierge' were LONG GONE from ALL SELLERS
You are wrong, I spoke to one today, and one two weeks ago and one 1 month ago, and one ...
08-02-2022 07:02 PM - edited 08-02-2022 07:04 PM
My plan tomorrow. I have a great relationship with Streamlight as all of my company's lights are from them. They may even have my lamps serial number recorded. At my business, I just have to keep a very sharp eye on them... they like to acquire legs! Lifetime warranty, no issue ever. They are hard to beat. Thank you for reaffirming this idea.
08-02-2022 07:04 PM
@dnasilver wrote:If eBay manages payments for sellers than they should go to the mat for the seller. eBay should fight the dispute tooth and nail just like any B&M store would!
What? B&M stores can't fight chargebacks either. I work B&M retail and if we get a chargeback we just have to eat it because the bank/CC provider will always rule in favor of the buyer. That's just how it is.
08-02-2022 07:08 PM
I am so sorry to hear of your dispute and the outcome. Credit cards nowadays are a lethal weapon much like a gun. They need to be regulated better by the govt. More or less a revision of the fair credit billing act where not just the customer is protected but there merchant as well from larceny. Yes , it is disgusting.
08-02-2022 07:14 PM
I guess B&M's decision would depend on the size of the charge back
08-02-2022 07:18 PM
I envy you. I love B&M what division? But by the same token... I am not B&M. When someone walks out with a $200 item, it is a wallop in my pocket. B&M looks at it as cost of doing business. It is a matter of scale. If someone charged back 2000L of goods... I am sure B&M would not just take it...
08-02-2022 07:19 PM
Call your state police and report the buyer for theft.
08-02-2022 07:19 PM
The fair credit billing act was first introduced I think in 1974. The purpose of the act was to really protect consumers from getting scammed badly in high dollar amounts from merchant etc. The times have changed quite drastically since 1974. No internet for years and years after this and then BOOM internet buying crazy and more and more and more CC disputes, some legit, some not. But a zillion times more frequent than back in the 70’s. This is why this has to be revised by the govt.
08-02-2022 07:26 PM
The concierge folks are absolutely excellent. Yes they are still here. They always get back to me within a few minutes. Love those folks.
08-02-2022 07:29 PM
Love to be a fly on that wall!
Don't forget to keep all pertinent info on the thief, best to you!
08-02-2022 07:31 PM
Mool our poster really tried to handle this dispute with their ebay concierge service. The concierge people will do all they can to help in one of these CC disputes but once that buyer goes for the credit card chargeback, there are some thing they may suggest to do as far as creating a file for them to send to the CC for the dispute. But, what you are dealing with after that is the haphazard way that CC companies deal with these. Many of them are not even investigated, just instant refund to the consumer. They also usually never require a return of merchandise. It’s the way they operate.
08-02-2022 09:44 PM
...your buyer intentionally stole your properties (lamp and money)...
...if eBay didn't want to deal with credit card companies in disputes then eBay should provide the details of those banking transaction information to sellers so they can fight or self-defend...it does not affect the fees eBay already collected, whatever sellers can get back is their hard earning money, allow them to face-off with the thieves/scammers/buyers...
...nothing in this world will last forever...and so...eBay...one day in the future...
08-02-2022 09:59 PM
@dnasilver wrote:If eBay manages payments for sellers than they should go to the mat for the seller. eBay should fight the dispute tooth and nail just like any B&M store would!
Why would eBay have ANY incentive to fight these things and spend payroll, when they can just fold and collect $20? EBAY isn't losing anything.
08-02-2022 10:03 PM - edited 08-02-2022 10:06 PM
A couple of things. First you didn't loose both the lamp and the money. What you lost was what you had invested in the lamp + shipping costs + eBay fees + the $20 additional fee. The dispute fee is not charged by eBay but by the bank or CC company. The decision was not eBay's with regards to the chargeback but was made by the buyers bank or CC company. Not to make light of your loss but you can take this off your taxes when you file your 2022 return.
It is almost useless to dispute a chargeback and far better to accept it, and then fall back on the VERY limited eBay chargeback seller protections.
https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/payment-dispute-seller-protections?id=5293
Chargebacks have drastically increased since eBay converted to MP and they were ill prepared to deal with this, or maybe they just didn't care. It is far easier for a buyer to file a chargeback with their CC company since it takes eBay out of the decision making process and generally banks and CC companies are not worried about, nor do they want to get involved in, the logistical aspects of merchandise returns. Chargebacks have been one of the worse aspects of eBay converting to MP.